Method for forming metal member on casing

ABSTRACT

A method for forming metal members on a casing, includes steps of providing the casing of an electron device; selecting at least two areas on a common surface of the casing; forming, by an electroplating way, a metal layer on all of the selected areas; and forming, by a patterning way, the metal layer respectively with different metal member pattern layers on different selected areas, wherein the metal member pattern layers are selected from the group consisting of an antenna member pattern, a ground wire member pattern, and an electromagnetic shielding member pattern, so as to use these members as an antenna member, a ground wire member, or an electromagnetic shielding member of the electron device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a metalmember of an electron device, and more particularly to a method forforming a metal member such as an antenna member, a ground wire member,or an electromagnetic shielding member on a casing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the progress of technology, the electron device such as a notebookcomputer, a tablet computer, or a mobile phone has been used as animportant portable device. The electron device is equipped with somemetal members each having different functions, for example, including anantenna member for data transmitting, a ground wire member for signalgrounding, and an electromagnetic shielding member for shieldingelectromagnetic interference.

The antenna member for the electron device is usually a sheet metalmanufactured by punching process. The sheet metal occupies certain spacein the electron device, and it also leads the electron device to bedifficult to miniaturize. The electromagnetic shielding member isusually a sheet metal disposed within the electron device or is analuminum foil attached to the casing of the electron device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a prior art, the conventional above metal members are manufacturedrespectively, and are assembled in the electron device one by one. Suchproducing way brings heavy and complicated manufacture procedure, sothat it is difficult to achieve rapid and mass production.

Therefore, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a methodfor forming metal members on a casing, to simplify the manufactureprocedure and to save time for assembling, and thus to improveproduction efficiency and production capacity.

The present invention provides a method for forming metal members on acasing, comprising steps of: (a) providing the casing of an electrondevice; (b) selecting at least two areas on a common surface of thecasing; (c) forming, by an electroplating way, a metal layer on both ofthe selected areas; and (d) forming, by a patterning way, the metallayer respectively with different metal member pattern layers ondifferent selected areas, wherein the metal member pattern layers areselected from the group consisting of an antenna member pattern, aground wire member pattern, and an electromagnetic shielding memberpattern.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the casing is made of aninsulating material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the common surface is aninner side surface of the casing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises,before step (c), a step of forming a medium layer for electroplating onthe common surface.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the metal layer is a copperlayer.

In an embodiment of the present invention, in step (d), the patterningway includes: (d1) a photoresist forming process; (d2) an exposureprocess; (d3) a developing process; and (d4) an etching process.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises,after step (d), a step of forming, by a chemical plating way, aprotective layer on the metal member pattern layers.

In an embodiment of the present invention, said protective layer is anickel layer or a gold layer.

By means of technical means of the present invention, the metal memberssuch as an antenna member, a ground wire member, or an electromagneticshielding member can be formed on a casing in a common manufactureprocedure. Thus, the manufacture procedure is simplified, and theproduction speed is raised. Further, time for assembling is reduced dueto the metal members is formed directly on the casing without assemblingprocess. Thereby, the production capacity is improved, and productioncost is thus decreased.

Moreover, the metal member manufactured by the method in the presentinvention is a thin film formed intergratedly with the casing, itoccupies little space in the electron device to take advantage tominiaturize the electron device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present inventionto achieve the above and other objects can be best understood byreferring to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flow chat of a method for forming metal members on a casingof an embodiment according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 2-4 are stereographic views illustrating forming metal members ona casing by the method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1-4. FIG. 1 is a flow chat of a method for formingmetal members on a casing of an embodiment according to the presentinvention; and FIGS. 2-4 are stereographic views illustrating formingmetal members on a casing by the method according to the presentinvention.

Firstly, a casing 1 of an electron device is provided (step S110). As anexample, the electron device (not shown) may be a notebook computer, atablet computer, or a mobile phone. In this embodiment, the casing 1 ismade of an insulating material, such as plastics.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, at least two areas on a common surface of thecasing 1 are selected (step S120). Generally, the casing 1 has an innerside surface 11 and an outer side surface 12, wherein the inner sidesurface 11 is referred to a surface which faces to the inner side of theelectron device, and the outer side surface 12 is referred to a surfacewhich faces to outside of the electron device. In this step, it ispreferred to select the inner side surface 11 as a place for forming themetal member in order to reduce the interference from outside of theelectron device. In the embodiment, three areas A1, A2, and A3 on theinner surface 11 of the casing 1 are selected for respectively formingan antenna member, a ground wire member, and an electromagneticshielding member. Alternatively, two or more areas can be selected.

Next, since it is hard to electroplate a metal on an insulatingmaterial, it is preferred to form a medium layer for electroplating onthe common surface (i.e., inner side surface 11) of the insulatingcasing 1 before electroplating (step S130). Next, a metal layer isformed, by an electroplating way, on all of the selected areas A1, A2,and A3 (step S140). The metal layer may be a copper layer or other metalmaterials suitable for an antenna member, a ground wire member, or anelectromagnetic shielding member. In the step S140, a single metal layer2 may be formed on all of the selected areas A1, A2, and A3, as shown inFIG. 3 a. Alternatively, several metal layers 2 a, 2 b, and 2 c may beformed on the selected areas A1, A2, and A3 respectively. Otherarrangements such as a metal layer formed on whole surface of the casing1 or the like can also be applied.

After forming the metal layer, the metal layer 2 (or the metal layer 2a, 2 b, and 2 c) is (are) formed respectively with different metalmember pattern layers 31, 32, and 33 on different selected areas A1, A2,and A3 (step S150), wherein the metal member pattern layers 31, 32, and33 are selected from the group consisting of an antenna member pattern,a ground wire member pattern, and an electromagnetic shielding memberpattern.

There are various patterning ways can be used, and the patterning wayused in the embodiment includes a photoresist forming process (stepS151), an exposure process (step S152), a developing process (stepS153), and an etching process (step S154). Substantially, the patterningway of the embodiment includes the steps of: forming a photoresist layeron the metal layer, exposing the photoresist layer, on which a photomaskcovers, by a specific light, and performing a developing process to forma specific pattern by applying a developing agent on the photoresistlayer. And, the metal layer 2 is etched with corresponding pattern toform different metal member pattern layers 31, 32, and 33 on differentselected areas A1, A2, and A3 (step S155). After that, the photoresistlayer is removed by a stripping way. However, the present invention isnot limited to this, and other patterning ways also can be used.

In the embodiment, the metal member pattern layer 31 is formed, by apatterning way, with an antenna member pattern, the metal member patternlayer 32 is formed, by a patterning way, with a ground wire memberpattern, and the metal member pattern layer 33 is formed, by apatterning way, with an electromagnetic shielding member pattern.Therefore, the metal member pattern layer 31 can be used as an antennamember for an electron device, the metal member pattern layer 32 can beused as a ground wire member for an electron device, and the metalmember pattern layer 33 can be used as an electromagnetic shieldingmember for an electron device. Further, since the metal member patternlayers 31, 32, and 33 have been formed on the casing 1, it is notnecessary to perform a step of assembling these metal member patternlayers to the casing after step S150.

In addition, it is preferred to form, by a chemical plating way, aprotective layer on the metal member pattern layers 31, 32, and 33 toprevent oxidation (step S160). The protective layer may be made ofoxidation resistant materials such as nickel, gold, or the like.However, step S160 can be omitted in the case of other factors oranother oxidation resistant way has been provided.

By the above method, an antenna member, a ground wire member, and anelectromagnetic shielding member can be formed on a casing in a commonmanufacture procedure. Thus, the manufacture procedure is simplified,and the production speed is raised. Further, there is no assemblingprocess after forming the metal members since the metal members isformed directly on the casing. Therefore, time for assembling andproducing can be saved by the method of the present invention, and thusthe production capacity is improved and the production cost isdecreased. Moreover, the metal member manufactured by the method of thepresent invention is a thin film formed intergratedly with the casing;it occupies less space in the electron device to take advantage tominiaturize the electron device.

As can be appreciated from the above embodiments, the method for formingmetal members on a casing of the present invention has industry worthwhich meets the requirement for a patent. The above description shouldbe considered as only the discussion of the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention. However, a person having ordinary skill in the artmay make various modifications to the present invention. Thosemodifications still fall within the spirit and scope defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for forming metal members on a casing,comprising steps of: (a) providing the casing of an electron device; (b)selecting at least two areas on a common surface of the casing; (c)forming, by an electroplating way, a metal layer on all of the selectedareas; and (d) forming, by a patterning way, the metal layerrespectively with different metal member pattern layers on differentselected areas, wherein the metal member pattern layers are selectedfrom the group consisting of an antenna member pattern, a ground wiremember pattern, and an electromagnetic shielding member pattern.
 2. Themethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step (a), the casing is made ofan insulating material.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein instep (b), the common surface is an inner side surface of the casing. 4.The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, before step (c), astep of forming a medium layer for electroplating on the common surface.5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step (c), the metallayer is a copper layer.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein instep (d), the patterning way includes: (d1) a photoresist formingprocess; (d2) an exposure process; (d3) a developing process; and (d4)an etching process.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising, after step (d), a step of forming, by a chemical platingway, a protective layer on the metal member pattern layers.
 8. Themethod as claimed in claim 7, wherein the protective layer is a nickellayer or a gold layer.